The United States and Britain are considering pulling their troops out of Iraq by the spring of 2007, two British newspapers reported in their Sunday editions.

The Sunday Telegraph quoted unnamed senior military sources as saying that the plan to withdraw the troops came as both Washington and London have decided that the presence of coalition forces in Iraq was fueling insurgency.

The push for the withdrawal came mainly from London, the paper said, adding that the move is likely to be welcomed by all 24 coalition members "given the growing international unpopularity of the war."

Britain's Sunday Mirror newspaper also reported on the planned military withdrawal, saying it would take place within 12 months.

The United States has 135,000 troops stationed in Iraq. Most of the other 15,000 coalition troops are British.

U.S. and British officials have repeatedly said in the past that foreign troops would be gradually pulled out of Iraq once the Iraqi security forces can handle the country's security issues.

Source: Xinhua